“Serving those who, live, work and play in Los Angeles is an extremely
rewarding experience. It is a profound honor to work with and lead you
incredible men and women of the LAFD,” Cummings said in a statement.

“I thank Chief Cummings for his service to Los Angeles. My agenda for the Fire Department is focused on reducing response times, improving technology, to make sure we’re prepared for every emergency,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement.

“The Fire Department is at a crossroads and is in desperate need of strong leadership. Funding has been decimated and hundreds of firefighters and paramedics have left due to attrition and retirement without a single firefighter being hired over the past 5 years,” the union wrote on its website.

“As a result, response times in Los Angeles have risen, the credibility of the department has been called into question, staff morale is low, and both public and firefighter safety has been put at greater risk,” the statement continued.